ELEVEN players on the pitch, seven substitutes on the bench and a manager barking orders from the touchline; that is all it takes to run a successful football team, right?
Wrong.
Whilst they are the ones that you turn up to support every week, the truth is that, at Walsall, we are more than just a football team; we are a football club. An organisation that relies not only on the undoubted endeavours of those in red and white, but also of those in shirts and ties, working behind the scenes and taking care of all matters considerably, but not always, less sweaty.
Sure, you don't see board members taking penalties, communications officers clearing off-the-line or the operations department forming the perfect midfield diamond - but, without them, Walsall would not be where we are today.
In these behind the scenes features, you will get a chance to meet a select few of those responsible for the running of this football club - kicking off with our very own chief scout, David Hamilton.
Born and bred in South Shields, David is a former professional-turned-coach-turned-scout with a close affiliation to Saddlers boss, Chris Hutchings.
He described to us the main responsibilities of his current role: "I cover most of the North West - up to the North East - and have a couple of other scouts working for myself.
"One does the London area, called John Gregg, and there is Maurice Bemrose who does the Yorkshire area.
"We always get two reports done on the opposition before we play them and, in-between that time, I'll go and watch three or four games a week; a lot of games in the FA Premier Reserve League to have a look at players we could bring in on loan or, at the start of the season, to sign players."
David is currently in his third spell with Hutchings, having previously worked with the Walsall gaffer at both Wigan Athletic and Derby County, and firmly believes that a good working relationship between a manager and his staff plays a huge part in the success of a football club.
Talking about Hutchings, his assistant Martin O'Connor and chairman Jeff Bonser, David said: "Martin is integral in the Walsall operation. He is a legend here having played for the club on three separate occasions and I think Chris and Martin have a very good relationship - as well as with the chairman.
"I speak to the chairman now and again - when he is at the training ground - and he is very helpful and plays a very, very, big role.
"I think him and Chris have an extremely good relationship."
A common misconception is that a scout's involvement with the players ends upon their arrival. However, often overlooked by fans, their work in training is key in the development of young signings. David, an accomplished coach and former caretaker boss at Rochdale on two occasions, works both in the stands and out on the training field, taking great pride in assisting the manager on a more 'hands-on' basis. "I'm on the field with Chris and Martin every Thursday and Friday so, of course, I will speak to the players and everything like that," he explains. "Just like any other player, you try and get the best out of them.
"We're all heavily involved, very much so - especially at this club. Like I say, I see the players and work with them myself; not every day but always on a Thursday and Friday.
"I have a great rapport with the players, as do Chris and Martin."
Hamilton, a former midfielder, amassed over 300 first-team appearances in his playing days and started his career with Sunderland before moving to Blackburn Rovers after three seasons at Roker Park. During his time with the Black Cats, he struggled to break into the senior side despite captaining the England youth team, coached at the time by Brian Clough and Peter Taylor, to the final of the 1978 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.
He went on to play in over 100 League games for Blackburn in five years with the club, before repeating that feat at Wigan Athletic and hanging up his boots with Burnley, either side of a brief spell at the late Chester City.
One of the major changes in English football in recent times was the introduction of the transfer window in 2002/03. Whilst this, seemingly, could impact on the role of a scout, David believes that there has been little change. "Finding players is still very much an ongoing task," he said. "You perhaps know of players yourself and you try to keep hold your own lads, as well as looking for free transfers every year at the start of the season.
"It's basically first-team players I'm looking for; young lads from Premiership teams that may get released or whatever."
David goes on to describe the process of identifying potential new recruits and bringing them to the club: "I just go in with an open mind," he admitted. "Agents might phone me up and ask me to go and have a look at a player and I'll most likely follow that up - not all the time but I'll go to as many games as I can and cover every angle.
"I might have an idea that we are looking for something specific and I will watch the game and focus on who's playing in that position. If he does impress me then I'll get one of my scouts to follow it up and see what his opinion is.
"I worked with Paul Jewell and Chris at Wigan and Derby for ten years and, when you're buying players for millions of pounds, you want to get it right. So I'll say to Chris, 'I think you need to go and have a little look for yourself."
David's most impressive accomplishments as a scout include the £250,000 signing of Jimmy Bullard for Wigan from Peterborough - Bullard was eventually sold to Hull City for £3m - and the capture of Antonia Valencia, again at Wigan, who now plies his trade at Manchester Unites having been sold for £17m.
He highlights discovering players of potential as the best part of the job: "At lower League clubs you want to keep all of your better players, but sometimes when you sell a player that you've brought in and make a good profit that's a good feeling because you want to see the lad progress."
Despite all the travelling and the 80-hour week which comes as an inconvenient consequence of being a football scout, David is quick to exhibit his gratitude at having been able to forge a career in football. He concluded: "I would say that the driving is the downside to the job but, if I'm honest, it's a great job and, if you are working in football and getting paid to do something that you enjoy doing, then it's an enjoyment really.
"I've been in football from being a player from the age of 16 until now and I think I've only had three years out, so I've been very fortunate that way and I'm working for a terrific club with Walsall.
"Hopefully we can have a successful end to the season, keep on the shirt-tail of the play-offs and then you never know."
SHAUN STAFF
